The Things We Do
by paganpunk2
Summary: Dick had only one wish on his wedding day; for Jason to show up and serve as a groomsman. But that might have been too much for Dick to ask, even from his brother... Dick/Babs established, T for Jason's language, DaddyBats fluff in chapter 5. Appearances by all four Robins and one rather surprised Bat.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: So I was working on something else entirely when this idea just fell out onto my keyboard. This isn't set in any particular universe; I'm just chasing a random bunny. It will definitely be a two-shot, possibly a three depending on reader response. The second chapter will be much longer than this one is. For context, this is sort of post-everything, haha. Jason is Red Hood, Dick has been Batman for a year with Damian as his Robin and has gone back to being Nightwing (in Gotham) since Bruce's return. This is a solidly established Dick/Babs story. I hope you like it! Happy reading.**

He'd been watching this corner of the city for hours now, waiting. _He'll come out tonight,_ he assured himself as his eyes swept over seedy tenements. _He'll want to know why I'm stalking him._

Sure enough, a slight puff of air interrupted the stillness a short time later, announcing Red Hood's arrival. "Hey," Nightwing greeted without looking around.

"What the hell are you doing?" he demanded, arms crossed. "You know better than to loaf around here."

"I'm not loafing."

"You've been here three nights in a row. I call that loafing."

"I was waiting for you to come ask me what I wanted."

"What if I don't care what you want?" he asked roughly. "What if I just want you out of my neighborhood?"

"…Then I'd be really disappointed. I would have thought you would try to question interlopers at every opportunity." _C'mon, Jay. Don't be like this. Please._

His lips tightened. _Damn it, Dick._ "…Fine. Why are you here?" he spat.

"I have a question for you. Well…it's not so much a Nightwing to Red Hood question as an under-the-masks question, but I didn't want to ask you with a text. I'm never sure if you get them, anyway, since you don't reply."

"…I'm a busy man, I don't have time to answer everything you send me." _…But I do keep them all,_ he thought guiltily. _All the 'happy birthday,' 'sorry about kicking your ass last night,' 'sorry you kicked __my__ ass last night,' 'sorry about trashing what was probably half of your income base' messages…I can't seem to bring myself to delete them, even when all they do is remind me how pissed I am at you. Don't ask me why._ "Anyway, I'm here now, so ask."

"Oracle and I are getting married next month."

"I'm literate, thanks," he snarked. "It's been in all the papers. Congratu-fucking-lations. Are we done now?"

Nightwing looked up at the motionless clouds overhead and sighed. It was true; his and Barbara's impending nuptials had been second page news, and the wedding itself had a shot at the front page, provided it was a slow day elsewhere in the world. Finally he flipped up the lenses on his mask and turned to the other figure on the roof. "…Eyes?" he asked patiently when no move was made to match his actions.

Grumbling, Jason shoved his own lenses out of the way and glared at him. "Well? What is it?"

"…Please don't laugh at me for asking you to be one of my groomsmen."

_That explains why he wanted to look me in the face,_ he reasoned, momentarily shocked by the request. _I might have laughed, otherwise. Like this, though…I can't make fun of him. But I can't accept it, either._ Something in him ached at that fact. "You know I can't."

"I don't know that, no. Why not?"

"Because nobody wants me there, that's why."

"That's not true. And even if no one else did, _I_ do, and it's _my_ wedding, so anyone who objects can just keep their mouth shut."

"…Why?" he asked plaintively. "What kind of a nutjob asks someone who attempts to beat them unconscious on a regular basis to be part of their wedding party?"

"You're not my enemy, Jason," he whispered his name. "You're my brother. That will never change, no matter how often we fight. Even if you killed me, I would still call you by that name as I died. Is it wrong of me to want all three of my brothers by my side at my wedding?"

_No. I don't know. __Fuck__. _"Let me guess; you made Red Robin your best man?" he sneered, trying to exhaust some of the tangled emotions in his gut in his typical fashion.

"Flash."

_Oh. Yeah, Wally makes more sense. So…shit. That was clever, Dick, putting all three of us on the same level._ _No chance for anyone to claim favoritism down the road._ "I still can't," he tried to sound disinterested.

"…Please, Jay," he all but begged. It wasn't even a question of numbers, although Babs had her maid of honor and three bridesmaids all lined up. _It'll kill Alfred if the wedding party isn't symmetrical, but I don't care about that. I just want you to be there, Jason_.

"Would you quit using my name? Of all the people to do that…Christ."

"I'm sorry, I just…look, I know you like to pretend that sentimentality doesn't affect you anymore, but…it's not going to be the same if you _aren't_ there."

"Yeah, it will probably be a hell of a lot calmer and less bloody."

"Don't be stupid. Nobody's going to attack you."

He snorted. "I'm sure the other groomsmen will be delighted to see me. Don't get me wrong, I could probably take all three of them, but if Batman jumps in the mix you won't be getting your deposit back on the tux."

"I already told all of them that I was asking you, that my decision to do so was final, and that if they weren't going to be able to handle it they needed to tell me then. Nobody objected, Bats included."

_…Shit. There goes that argument. Wally and Tim will bite their tongues until they're bleeding if it makes Dick happy, and Damian's under his control enough now that if he's told to let things be, he just might actually do it._ "And you honestly don't think that at least one or two people in the giant JLA contingent that will probably make up half the damn audience will have an issue with my being there? Because I never thought of you as stupid before now, but if you answer yes I might have to reevaluate that."

"The ones who know who you are without a mask wouldn't jump you without better cause than 'hey, look, there he is.' And that goes double at the wedding of two _other_ JLA members. You know that."

_…He's right. But still. No. _ "I can't."

"Just think about it, okay? You don't have to answer right now."

"I said I _can't_. Are you deaf?" he snapped, frustrated. _I would, but…I can't. I can't go up in front of all of those people and just…just pretend like so much never happened. You can't expect me to do that. It's unfair of you to even ask, Dick. Asshole._ Once he'd managed to turn the blame onto his elder brother in his head, it became easier to pile on the abuse. "Even if I reasonably _could_, I _wouldn't_. I don't want to, all right? I don't give a flying rat's ass who you're marrying, especially when it's someone who's too weak to even walk down the fucking aisle under her own power. I'm not gonna be there, period, so find someone else among your billions of friends. None of you need or want me, and I'm not going to be pulled out of the shadows and paraded around just to make you look like the family peacemaker. Got it?" He slammed his lenses back down. "And stay the fuck out of my neighborhood, Nightwing. You're not welcome here."

Dick watched him go, his mask damp. _…Jason. You didn't mean that. I wish you knew how many people still hope you'll come around, that you'll move past what was or wasn't done before and try to rebuild the bridges that none of us – maybe not even you, for all that you lit the match on most of them – wanted to see burned._ _I'm sorry, little brother, I am. I just hope you know how much it's going to hurt me if you aren't there next month. More importantly, I hope that you still care, even a little, that your absence would do that. If you do…maybe you'll be there, after all. I guess we'll see soon enough._

A sad, fleeting smile crossed his lips as he turned away and swung off towards his rendezvous point with Red Robin. _I still believe in you, Jason. I hope you know that._


	2. Chapter 2

Four and a half weeks later, Dick stood in one of the manor's larger guest bedrooms, seventy-five percent of his groomsmen talking and squabbling around him in various states of dress. He himself was ready, and had been for half an hour; now he simply leaned back against the door to the patio, a glass of wine in his hand, and watched the clock.

He'd sent Jason only two texts since the scene on the rooftop. The first had been three weeks earlier, and had merely contained information about the tuxedo fitting and the main event itself. He had sent the second just a few hours ago. _'I hope you know I haven't given up on you being here today. Don't worry about the tux; I've got a pretty good eye for measurements, and none of our costumes have ever left much to the imagination, haha. If you decide to come, there will be clothes here for you,'_ he re-read slowly. There had been no reply as of yet, but he refused to give up until zero hour. _We have to be downstairs in twenty-five minutes. There's time._

"Hey, guys," he announced, "I'm going out on the balcony for a few minutes. Try not to kill each other, huh?"

"I maintain my argument that these tuxedos are hideous, Grayson," Damian stated, scowling into a mirror. "You should call this off until you find less offensive clothing for us."

"You said the same thing about every tux we tried on," Wally rolled his eyes as he fumbled with his tie.

"But you're right, it makes perfect sense to call off the whole thing because you hate dressing up," Tim backed the speedster up. "I'm sure everyone downstairs will understand perfectly."

"Drake, you-"

"Dami?" the groom interceded, sensing his youngest brother's ire rising exponentially.

"…What?"

"Help Wally figure out basic knots, would you?" He got a tiny smirk at that, and felt a little bad for chucking his best friend under the bus – Damian would probably ensure that the cloth was as tight against the man's throat as he could get away with – but at least the boy didn't have claws out for Tim any more. "I'll be outside."

It was blessedly cool on the balcony. He counted himself lucky that their dressing room protruded from the back of the house, away from the driveway and the wedding site on the expanse of the front lawn. Slouching against the railing with a heavy sigh, he sipped at his Tempranillo, feeling it steady him slightly. _It's not the wedding I'm nervous about,_ he knew. _It's whether or not I'm going to have the right number of groomsmen. _No one had mentioned Jason's conspicuous absence at the fitting and the rehearsal, and no one had expected him at the bachelor party Wally had thrown the weekend before, but Dick knew his disappointment hadn't gone unnoticed by anyone.

But he hadn't wanted to push him. _I want him to come of his own accord,_ he'd decided. _Forcing him sure as hell won't work, and guilt…he's never reacted well to guilt trips. _He had been able to tell, though, that part of his brother had wanted to say yes when the offer had been made, and that was what he was banking on. _If he can just realize that there isn't as much ill-will towards him downstairs as he thinks there is, maybe it will be enough. He's still angry about so much, but...is it foolish to think he might find a little closure if he comes today?_

His gaze wandered through the scattered trees towards the cemetery perched on the next hill. _I wish __you__ were here today,_ he whispered silently to his parents. _…But I suppose if you were, it would be a completely different ceremony, in another place, and mostly likely to some other girl. _He paused. _No. It would still be Babs, or at least someone just like her. That part would be very, very close._ He glanced down at his watch, a heavy Swiss behemoth that his soon-to-be-wife had given him as an engagement present. _…Twenty minutes. Come __on__, Jay. Please._

The door behind him opened, and he didn't have to look to know it was Tim stealing up behind him. "…Dick?"

"What's up, Timmy?"

"I'm sorry," he said simply. "I…I know you really wanted him to be here today." He didn't understand why his brother had asked the second Robin to be present for what was supposed to be a happy day, but he knew that it would have made him glad had it worked out. _Damn you, Jason, for making him anything less than bouncy today,_ he cursed as Dick's lips curved up slightly in a forgiving smile.

"…Thanks. But…there's time. He could still show."

He raised his eyebrows, but didn't object. _That's so you, believing the best of everyone. Sometimes I'm not sure if it's a gift or a handicap._ "Well…anyway. I should go make sure Damian hasn't strangled Wally with his tie yet."

"Ah, they're all right." He looked over at him. "So are you, by the way. I really appreciate you being here today, Tim."

"I appreciate that you asked me," he shrugged back frankly.

"Of course I asked you. You're my brother," he said seriously. "Nothing will ever change that fact."

"…Yeah," he nodded, gulping at the intensity in the eyes riveted to his own. _Of course I'm here, Dick. I wouldn't miss this for anything. _"You're right." Something crashed inside, ending the moment. "That sounded wonderful. I'll go, you stay out here and try and have five minutes of peace."

"Thanks," he chuckled, shaking his head as he raised his glass to his lips again. The door cut out most of the sound from the room when closed, but he would have sworn he heard Tim groan right before it clicked shut.

A light breeze had just sprung up, carrying the scent of some five thousand flowers around from the front of the house, when he caught a flash of movement at the edge of the woods. _…Maybe?_ he allowed his hope a hint of encouragement. A few seconds later a figure separated itself from its surroundings and started towards the house, moving with a stealthy air that Dick would have recognized anywhere. _Thank you, little brother. So much,_ he thought, wiping away a pair of tears.

Jason pretended not to see the man watching his approach from one of the second floor balconies. _What am I doing?_ he wondered as he approached the imposing mansion he hadn't entered in years. _Why am I even here? _ He'd wrestled with himself right up until a few hours ago, going back and forth between a very real sense of honor and disbelief that Dick would even _want_ him as a groomsman and rage at the idea that the man would assume that he, and everyone else for that matter, could just put aside the past. He'd still been conflicted when he set out, and had started to turn back towards home several times during the drive. Eventually, however, he'd found himself pulling to the side of the old logging road that backed up against the large Wayne estate. By that point it had seemed like cowardice to not at least go see who all had showed up, from a distance if nothing else, and thus he found himself now walking through the perfectly manicured grass behind the manor.

_This is going to be a disaster,_ he swore._ Maybe…shit, is __that__ why I'm here?_ He stopped halfway across the lawn, caught in the open and feeling like he needed to bolt back into the cover of the trees. _…I can't be here just to ruin it. I…I do want to be here, but…if something starts, it would be my fault. Maybe I should just go. _He was preparing to turn away when he chanced a look upwards. _Ah, fuck. I didn't even know that pout of his still worked on me…_ Sighing, he pushed forward. _This is crazy. I'm going to regret this. Stop giving me that tractor-beam look, you bastard, and let me leave…_

As the last member of his wedding entourage finally drew up below him, Dick set his wine down and leaned over the balustrade, extending one hand. His brother stared at him for a minute, then backed up a couple of steps, took a running start, and leapt. A second later they were on the same level, still clasping one another's forearms.

"You can let go now," Jason said finally, loosening his fingers.

"I'm afraid you might run away," he answered without the slightest hint of jesting.

"…Never let anyone call you stupid, Dick. I'm just here to say…well…congratulations. I…I can't stay."

"Like hell you can't." _Uh, no. You aren't going anywhere other than downstairs, in a tuxedo, with the rest of us._

"I'll just ruin everything," he shook his head.

"The fact that you're even worried about that tells me that you won't ruin _anything_. Besides, I've got a spot all picked out for you in the lineup. You'll like your walking partner; she's pretty." His expression was already so much happier that Jason could barely look at him.

"I'm not dressed to be the _janitor_ at a wedding, let alone to be _in_ one."

"Now I _know_ you don't read the texts I send you," the elder male said amusedly. Using the grip he already had on his arm, he yanked him into a hug. "There's a tux inside for you. I hope the shoes aren't tight, I had to guess." He paused. "I'm _so_ glad you're here, Jay. I can't tell you how much this means to me. I know it wasn't easy for you to come, but…" He pushed him back and stared at him. "Thank you."

He tore his eyes away. They felt hot for some stupid, sappy reason. "…I didn't get you guys a gift," he scoffed, trying to hide his amazement that there was an outfit waiting for him. "I guess that makes me a pretty lame groomsman, but…whatever." _You…you never gave up on my coming, even after what I said that night and how I snubbed you for the fitting. Why are you so forgiving? Why…why can't __I__ be even a sliver as gracious? Jesus, no wonder you're everyone's favorite._

"You're here. That's seriously the best thing you could have given me today. I mean that."

"Yeah. I know you do. Pansy." His eyes widened; he hadn't meant for the last word to actually hit the air. _Well, so much for that._

Dick started, then burst out laughing. "Thanks. If I have any issues in bed tonight, now I can use your cutting insult to my manhood as an excuse."

"Good luck with that."

"…Dude, what are you laughing at? You'd _better_ not be going insane out here. What will I tell Baaaaaahh!" Wally's pronunciation of the bride's name turned into an exclamation of surprise as he saw who his friend was standing with. "…_Jason?!_"

"Uh…hi, Wally."

"…Wals, how is your tie _still_ screwed up?" Dick asked, crossing his arms.

"Ask Damian. It was a noose at one point," the redhead answered, still staring at the new arrival in blatant shock.

"We have a butler for a reason," the boy in question appeared from inside. "Not that he's here to help when we need him or anything." Catching sight of Jason, he knitted his eyebrows. "…Damn. I lost a bet."

"Language," Dick said mildly. "And who did you have a bet with?"

"Barbara. She said if anyone could make _him_," he nodded, "come today, it was you. I said no one would be able to get him here. I was incorrect."

"What are you guys all doing out heeeeoh, shit," Tim froze in the doorway. "…Dick, you're a snake charmer, I swear."

"I told you this wouldn't work," Jason hissed angrily. "They clearly don't want me here."

"Relax." He eyed the other three. "We talked about this," he reminded them. "Everyone just needs to take a chill pill, all right?"

"…Bro, nobody… nobody actually expected him to come," Wally explained gently. "I mean, I'm sorry, but…you were so set on it that nobody could stand to argue, especially since…well, who would have actually put money on us all standing here right now?"

"Babs, apparently," the groom retorted. "Which is why I'm marrying _her_ and not one of you." He paused. "That came out wrong. But you know what I mean. The point is, Jason is here because I asked him to be. I asked him to be here in the same spirit that I asked all three of you. I know there's a lot of tension right now," he said, looking at Tim specifically, "and I know I'm calling in a big favor on this, but…can we all just get along for a few hours? Please?"

Damian was the first to answer. "I don't have any particular problem with you right now, Todd, other than that you're an idiot in general."

"Gee, thanks," he grimaced. _What a resounding approval._

Wally only had to take one look at Dick's face to know what his answer had to be. "…You're not here to blow the place up or open a back door for your, ah, latest friends or anything, right?" he asked, just to be safe.

"I wouldn't tell you if I was," Jason shot back. "Seriously, what kind of a question is that? Fuck, man. I'm out." He began to turn away, but let a slightly desperate hand on his shoulder stop him.

"I'll vouch for him, Wally," his brother's calm voice overrode his anger. "He's not going to blow anything up."

"Then may we blow up these tuxedos after the ceremony?" Damian mumbled. The comment lightened the mood somewhat, drawing a few tense titters.

"They're Hugo Boss. Alfred would have your hide."

"…Wait, our tuxedos were made by the same company that outfitted the Nazis?" Tim made a face.

"That was seventy years ago, Timmy. Let it go," Dick teased.

"Besides, you have to admit," Jason threw in, "the Nazis had some bitchin' uniforms."

Everyone froze. "…He's not wrong, guys," the acrobat shrugged. "They were terrible, but their clothes were pretty nice."

"…Now I want to blow up _my_ tuxedo, too," Tim sighed.

"Wait, you and Damian agree on something?" Wally asked. "Dick. You know what this means."

"End times," he nodded solemnly. "It's okay. We've prepared for this, remember?"

"Well, at least we'll go out looking good."

"Exactly." He turned to Tim, the only one who was still watching the last groomsman with excessive caution. "…Are we okay?" he inquired.

"I…" _I have to stand next to him for the entire ceremony. I mean sure, I can hold me own against him now – sort of – if he tries anything, but…_ But bad old memories died hard, and looking at the man beside his brother, all he could see was someone who had done nothing these past few years but hurt the people Tim cared about the most. _But Dick __really__ wants him here today_, _and I won't be the one to screw that up. He'd go through hell and back for me; if I can't stand Jason's presence for a few hours, then I don't deserve to be up front with him today. And I want that honor more than anything right now, so…_ "I'm fine. As long as no one gets ugly, it's not a problem," he pushed out between his teeth.

"Good," Dick gave him a grateful smile, his posture relaying that they would talk in depth later. "Okay, we're due downstairs in…" he glanced at his watch and yelped. "Five minutes. Shit. Jay, please tell me you remember how a tuxedo goes on."

"I'm not dense."

"I'll take that as a yes," he waved everyone back inside. Jason, still carrying a sense of trepidation in the pit of his stomach, stuck close to him. Tim was careful to do the same, and for the exact same reason. _You two are so funny. Nobody's going to attack either of you,_ the groom thought bemusedly. _And if someone does without provocation, you know I'll back you up. That's what big brothers are for._

Wally had just shut the balcony off behind them when the bedroom door opened. "Hey, what's your stat…" Bruce, as impeccably dressed as the butler standing slightly behind him, trailed off. "…Jason," he managed finally. His eyes flew to his eldest. "…Dick?"

_Uh oh._ "Maybe you should both come inside and close the door," he suggested with a gulp. "This might take a minute."

**Author's Note: Well, now it's going to be a four-shot, so...happy reading!**


	3. Chapter 3

Nobody spoke for a long minute after Bruce and Alfred had both entered and the door had been shut behind them. "…Okay, guys," Dick broke the silence finally. "I hate to cut this short, but by my count you've got about ninety seconds to figure out whatever you need to figure out in order to function within the same square mile of each other today. Otherwise we're not going to have time to get Jason into his suit and be downstairs on schedule."

"The schedule is already off, I'm afraid, Master Dick," Alfred replied quietly. "Miss Barbara ran into a small problem and requested a five minute delay."

"Is she all right?" he asked quickly.

"I believe so, yes. I heard nothing to the contrary."

"She wouldn't say anything if she wasn't," he fretted.

Bruce's eyes narrowed. "…What do you know that we don't?" he asked, reading his son with ease.

There was a heavy sigh. "Well…I'm not supposed to tell _anyone_ this, so you'd all still better look completely shocked when it happens. If it happens," he added. "The only people in on it are Jim, Babs' bridesmaids, and me, but…she had a bit of a breakthrough in therapy a couple of months ago, and it gave her this crazy idea, but I couldn't say no, I mean how _could_ I say no, and…anyway, she's determined to _walk_ down that aisle today."

"No way," Wally and Tim said at the same time, their mouths dropping open. Bruce and Alfred appeared surprised, but pleased. Damian just looked mildly impressed. Jason turned away completely. _Oh, god. He knew that, he knew it when I said what I said about her. He knew what she was working on, and he didn't say anything. 'Too weak to even walk down the fucking aisle under her own power…' Why did I say that? Why do I say half the shit I do? He has every right to hate me right now, but he doesn't. Son of a __bitch__. I can't be here. I can't watch that. Fuck. I'm…I'm sorry, Dick. No. I can't do this._ He took two steps towards the balcony. _If I go now, while they're all still recovering from that little bomb, they won't even notice._

"Jason."

He forced himself to stop, overriding something in the back of his brain that was pushing for him to just keep walking. _Don't. Don't try to talk me out of this. It won't work. I can't…_ "What?" He'd intended for it to come out harshly, but the word ended up simply sounding lost.

_This is either going to be the completely right or completely wrong thing to say,_ Dick knew. "…Where are you going? You're not a coward, little brother, you never have been, so why do you let old mistakes back you into corners when you could vanquish them so easily?" _Don't run. Stop. Come back. Try again. I forgive you._

"Because we don't all have your Gandhi-level powers of forgiveness," he managed. "And because maybe I don't _want_ to forgive certain things. I didn't come here to forgive anyone. I came because you asked me to. And it was a mistake, obviously. I should have known you'd use this to set up one of your 'let's all get along' interventions." A hand on his shoulder, no longer gentle, ripped him around. Had he been pulled into a hug, he would have fought; staring into Dick's uncharacteristically cold eyes, however, he froze just long enough to listen to his words.

"You know what, Jay? You're wrong. This isn't about you. This is about me. Normally, you'd be right; I'd want us to all sit down and have a big teary chat about all the shit we've put each other through over the years, intentional or not. Normally. But seeing as how everyone's been telling me for months and months on end now that today is about what Babs and I want, I've decided to take advantage of that. I put the people I care the most about in the world through misery, not because I expected anyone to make amends, but just because I wanted you to be here.

"And that group includes you, you know; I'm aware that this isn't a walk in the park. Today, though, I've decided to be selfish. As a result, right now, at this very moment, I don't care if you never speak to anyone in this room again. I don't care if you never forgive anything for the rest of your life. What I _do_ care about is whether or not you can push away enough of the garbage you've let build up over the past few years to be the good person I know you are underneath, if only for a few hours.

"I've forgiven everything you've done and said, Jason. All of it. I want you to know that. But if you walk out that door right now without even _trying_…I don't know if I'll be able to ever fully forgive you for that. I will believe until the day I die that someday you'll find the strength to deal with your demons, but the wound you'll be giving me if you walk away at this juncture will never completely heal. I say that not as a threat, or to guilt you, but just so you know. I don't want you to make this decision blind." He released him, stepping back and crossing his arms to hide the fact that his hands were shaking. "So, you know. The ball's in your court." _Please stay. Don't make me eat those words. Of course I'd forgive you. But it would hurt so bad, Jay. _

"…It's also in mine," Bruce said softly, stepping forward. His fingers squeezed his eldest's shoulder as he drew up beside him, then gently pushed him back towards where Alfred was covertly dabbing at his eyes. _This isn't your fight, chum. It never was. I appreciate how much effort you've put into it despite that, and I hate that you've more or less made yourself the battleground on which today's fight has been drawn up, but this comes down to him and I. I'm going to try my damnedest not to screw it up, for you. And for Jason._ "I'll keep it short," he addressed his second son. "When Dick told me he wanted to invite you, Jason, I never thought you would show up. I hoped you would, and I'm glad you did, but I never truly believed it would happen. Now, though…tell me what you need me to do or say to convince you to stay today," he said sincerely. "And I'll try to do it, if it's within reason." _Don't go. Don't hurt him like that. Please._

_He's only being this nice about it because he wants golden boy's day to be perfect,_ part of him protested. "What's reasonable?" Jason asked slowly, ignoring the voice. _Try. Just…try. _

"I won't know until you suggest something."

_…Shit. I…I don't know._ He didn't particularly care what Bruce wanted, but Dick's soliloquy had bowled him over, driving home just how much distress he'd caused his brother since his return to life. _I was never really mad at __you__,_ he thought. _I mean, sure, I was angry that you defended Bruce, but…I also know that you understand why I still can't forgive him. It doesn't keep you from trying to get me past it, of course, because fixing broken things is just your nature, but at least you get it. The problem is that it works both ways; you understand Bruce's side of it, too. You're the only one who still truly believes in me, Dick, the only one who hasn't given up on me, and I…I don't want to lose that. No; I don't want to destroy that. It might be the last thing truly keeping me from going past the point of no return. _

"Fine," he spat. "We don't talk, you and me. Nobody tries to act like everything's peaches and cream," he cast a glance around the room, including everyone in the deal, "because it isn't. And when I decide to leave, no one tries to stop me. We also agree that I have a right to defend myself if I'm slandered or attacked, whether it's by one of you or someone else."

_Attacked? Who do you think would attack you at your brother's wedding? Jesus, Jason, I know you're mad at me, but no one here is your enemy. Not out of costume, at least. _"…I agree, dependent on one thing."

"That being?"

"You won't leave obviously. No stomping off in the middle of the ceremony. If you choose to go early, you'll do it unobtrusively."

He pursed his lips. "You agree to the other stuff?"

"Yes." It hurt that Jason didn't want to speak with him at all, but it wasn't exactly a new pain. Considering what the young man in front of him might have asked for, it was a small price to pay. "I agree."

"…Then I do, too."

A collective sigh went through the room. "…So," Dick breathed finally, "Jay, you've got to get changed." Crossing to the closet, he pulled out a suit bag and a pair of shoes. "Bathroom's all yours," he said, handing them over.

"I…yeah. Be, ah…be right out." _I'm doing this. I'm actually doing this. Holy fuck. I have lost my goddamn mind…_

"Master Jason, do you remember how-"

"He's got it, Alfred," Dick assured the butler, sensing that what Jason really needed was a few minutes alone to come to terms with what had just occurred. _He and Bruce just had a civilized conversation,_ he thought giddily. _It certainly wasn't an affectionate one, but they reached an accord without raising voices or drawing blood._ "Wally's tie could probably use a little TLC, though. We let Damian have a go at it."

"Oh, for heaven's sake…"

The atmosphere was tense as they waited. No one spoke, although Tim moved over to stand close beside Dick, drawing silent comfort as they carried on a wordless conversation.

_ Timmy,_ the groom's eyes inquired. _…Still okay?_

_I'll manage,_ he shrugged. What he'd just watched occur between Jason and Bruce had made him wonder, just slightly, if he should have been giving more credence all along to what Dick thought about the second Robin. _…But you aren't selfish,_ his forehead creased. _Never that. Just mildly insane._

_It worked, though, didn't it?_ Dick arched an eyebrow with a happy sparkle in his gaze.

_Don't ask me how,_ Bruce's lips quirked an interjection from halfway across the room.

_…Is it wrong of me to think it can't last?_ the youngest of the three asked with a guilty look. Surely Jason couldn't keep it up for long. He'd snap, and the horribly hurt look Dick only ever seemed to wear as a result of the dead-not dead bird would come back again. He quailed at the thought; nothing made him feel as low as seeing his elder brother miserable.

_I hope you're wrong,_ the billionaire glanced away._ …Dick? I really do, you know. I want him to stay. But I don't think he will._

_ It's typical for you two to think that,_ he smirked sadly. _But I've got enough optimism for all three of us. Either way,_ he finished hurriedly as the bathroom door opened, _let's just enjoy it while it lasts._ "…How did I do on the measurements?" he queried.

"Creepily well," Jason answered, stepping out. _They were talking about me,_ he realized. A swell of anger rose, then receded as he decided it didn't matter. _Of course they were talking about me. Think about what just happened, you jackass._ _How could they __not__ talk? _"The pants are a little long and the sleeves are a little short, but I don't think it's too noticeable."

"Looks fine to me," the elder Robin opined. "…Alfred? What do you think?"

"Hmm…" He hustled around the bed to look. "It's passably close. I don't believe anyone will detect the slight difference."

"They're all going to be too busy looking at Babs, anyway," Dick nodded. "…Who is probably starting to wonder what's taking so long." _God, I hope she's not standing while she waits._ For all that she'd made huge progress in the last few months, she still had a long way to go towards getting anywhere near her old strength back in her legs. _I'm probably going to be holding her up at the altar,_ he realized. _But that's okay. She'll still be on her feet. I'll hold her up all day if she wants._

"Never mind the audience," Tim threw in.

"Weddings always start late," Wally shrugged, patting his pockets to make certain he had the ring. "Mine took an extra half hour to get rolling. People are used to it."

They all looked around at each other for a second, only Damian seeming slightly annoyed by the continued delay. "…Are we ready?" Dick asked.

"I think are _you_ ready is the more important question," Bruce said.

"Me?" he grinned suddenly. "I've got a full complement of groomsmen at my side and a gorgeous woman waiting for me downstairs. Toss me a mask, and I'll be ready for anything. Barring that, though," he opened the door, "bring on the wedding."

**Author's Note: Next up; wedding time! Also, a big thanks to AJCrane for reading through this chapter ahead of time and soothing my fears about characterization. :D Happy reading!**


	4. Chapter 4

Looking back on it in the years to come, Jason would always have to admit that the ceremony was like something out of a movie.

The biggest moment, of course, was when Barbara appeared at the entrance to the huge tent under which the wedding was taking place. She'd been wheeled out from the house to preserve her still-limited standing strength, but before any of the waiting crowd saw her she signaled a stop and accepted her father's assistance in rising to her feet. Her first step down the aisle drew gasps of disbelief even from those few who knew what her plan was. For all that every pace hurt like hell, she couldn't help but smile radiantly when she saw the way Dick was biting his lip as he watched her. _You adorable dork,_ she felt like breaking into tears. _You helped me practice for this, saw me walking in preparation for this, more than anyone else here, and you still look as if you're about to cry._

Once she'd been carefully handed off, a conspiratorial glance passing between her father and her soon-to-be husband as the latter's arm wrapped securely around her waist and pulled her close, the pain seemed to fade. _It's always better when I'm next to you,_ she considered as they gazed at one another for a second before turning their attention to Clark, who had agreed to officiate despite the jealous look it had earned him from Bruce.

The vows were simple and short, partly out of respect for the fact that she didn't have the legs for a lot of speechifying and partly because their love was of the type that needed few words to sustain it. Despite that, Barbara listened closely as Dick made his oath to her, well aware that he had made only one other promise in his life with the same intensity. Then it was over, and the deliriously happy grin on his face moved her so much that she had to drag him down into their kiss to keep from ruining her makeup.

While the bridal party retreated to the house for a change of wardrobe and the guests, buzzing excitedly with shock after seeing the bride on her feet, moved outside to the area designated for the reception, Jason faced a crisis. _…Well, now what?_ he mused, torn. A small part of him still insisted that he ought to flee, but that voice was much quieter now than it had before everything began. His presence in the wedding line had drawn many curious and uncertain looks, but no glares, and certainly no attacks of either the verbal or physical kind. When he'd reached the front and split off from his walking partner – _Dick was right, she is pretty,_ he had thought upon being hastily introduced to her in the foyer – he'd even received a tiny nod of approval from Clark, something so unexpected that it nearly caused him to stumble. The only really bad moment had been the flash of guilt that had washed over him when Barbara had walked in slow triumph to the front of the tent, but even that had been wiped away by the sheer joy he could feel his elder brother glowing with on the other side of Wally. _…I should stay. I want to stay. But…I don't know. Now that people are moving around, they'll start to talk, and I just don't know…_

"…Jason?"

The voice made him jump. "What is it, re...Tim?" he held back the slur he usually addressed the younger with.

"Ah…first off, thanks for using my name," he said, keeping a slight distance between them. _Whoa. Did Dick lace your suit with civility powder or something? _"Second…look, I came to ask…I came to ask if you would mind staying for the reception."

"Who put you up to that?"

"No one," he answered quietly. "I'm asking because it would mean a lot to Dick, and therefore it means a lot to me."

"…You know, I've already done an awful lot for him today," he challenged. _I don't know why you annoy me so much, kid,_ he narrowed his eyes. _Well, no, that's a lie. I know why. But…you're not an annoying person in and of yourself. I guess…I guess it isn't your fault Bruce made you my replacement instead of someone else. It's kind of your fault that he loves you better than he ever did me, but then again you're enough like Dick that I suppose he couldn't really help himself. Shit._ He shook his head.

"Sure," Tim said evenly. "And he's done an awful lot for _you_ ever since the day you met. Everything he could, in fact."

"And you would know that how?" _…It's true,_ he winced internally.

"Because he does everything he can for _everyone_ he cares about. And he cares about you, Jason. A lot. Probably way more than you deserve, but…that's Dick," he shrugged. "Would it really kill you to hang around for a couple of hours? You don't even have to talk to anyone. Hell, I'll leave you alone, and so will Bruce. But if he just sees your face on the edges of the crowd a few times this evening…well, it might be a way to start paying him back, don't you think?"

"You say that like I owe him something." He wasn't really arguing anymore, but was merely going through the paces in a lame attempt to protect his reputation.

"You say _that_ like you don't."

_I do. I know I do. Damn it. _"…You're too smart for your own good, Drake," he considered him, something a bit like respect for the third Robin being planted in the back of his mind. "And…well, you know Dick, I'll say that much."

"So you'll stay?"

"…Did Alfred make the cake?" a gleam appeared in his eyes.

"Do you really have to ask? He would have beaten anyone who tried to butt in on that right with a rolling pin."

_When was the last time I had an Alfred-made baked good?_ he pondered. _Way too long ago._ "I'll stay at least until the cake."

Tim gave him a tiny smile. "…Thanks, Jason. I…I appreciate it. And I know Dick will, too." _And Bruce, and Alfred, and Babs, and…well, most of us, really, _he added silently as he walked back to where Wally had been surreptitiously watching the proceedings. _Anything that makes him happy, especially today. He asks for so little as it is…_

"You okay?" the speedster inquired as he approached. In Dick's absence – he'd followed Babs inside, ostensibly to tease her about 'not blushing like a bride was supposed to' but in truth to make sure she hadn't worn herself out too much with her efforts at bipedalism – he felt responsible for keeping the peace amongst the other groomsmen. That aside, he just plain liked Tim, and knowing the history between the second and third Robins as he did he felt justified in being a little concerned.

"I'm fine, surprisingly." He looked pensive. "…I don't know, Wally. I feel like maybe Dick's been right about him this whole time. I…it's weird. He doesn't seem like he's planning anything sinister, so…he has to be here for something good, right?"

"I hope so," the redhead shrugged. "You have to understand, Tim, that Jason wasn't a bad guy before. Maybe he still isn't, in spite of some of the things he's done. I mean…everyone makes mistakes, right? And Dick's always been scary good at reading people, and at reaching them when no one else can. I used to joke that it was his superpower," he chuckled. "Only it's not so funny when you realize that he does it so easily and consistently that it might actually _be_ one." He glanced around, realizing that despite the heavy concentration of mask-friendly guests there were still a few ears around that might hear the wrong thing were he to keep going. "Anyway, they were close once, you know. Not to the level that _you_ and Dick are, of course, but…not so far off, either. Just different. If you had seen him after Jason was…well. Just be glad you weren't around for that time," he shuddered, remembering. "I don't _want_ Jason to be a bad guy, and I trust Dick's intuition about people with my life, so…there you have it, I guess."

"Who has what, now?" a new voice broke in.

"Hey, the man of the hour," Wally smacked him on the back as he came up, Damian close behind him. "Why don't you have a drink in your hand?"

"Because I want to remember my wedding in more detail than I do my bachelor party," Dick retorted with a grin.

"Aw, no fun. I don't remember _my_ wedding."

"Well, you had to drink to deal with your in-laws. I, fortunately, don't have that problem. But we're _all_ going to have a problem if we wait much longer to take our seats. Alfred's just aching to start cracking the whip over the caterers' heads, I could tell without even going into the kitchen. So…where's Jason?" he asked, frowning slightly. "He…he didn't leave, did he?"

"He's over there," Tim jerked his head backwards.

"Oh," he sagged with obvious relief. "I'll get him. You guys go ahead. Damian, before we even get started, _please_ don't use your fork to catapult peas at anyone. Your astounding aim aside," he cut off his protest, "it's just rude."

"You can't seriously expect me to remain in this disgusting tuxedo for the rest of the day _and_ refrain from playing with my food."

"Do it and I'll show you a hiding place that not even B-man knows about," he bribed.

"I know all the hiding spots in the manor, Grayson."

"Who said anything about the manor?" he quirked an eyebrow. His youngest brother couldn't quite cover the bolt of interest that shot across his face, and he knew he'd won. "Go with Tim and Wally. The girls will be out soon."

With that done, Dick made his way towards where Jason was lingering. Several people stopped him as he passed to offer their congratulations, an incognito Wonder Woman among them. "Ooh, I can't stand it," she breathed low in his ear, hugging him tightly. "Our sweet little Robin's all grown up. Not that you haven't been for a while, of course," she acknowledged as he pulled back to a more normal distance for conversing, "but it still makes me feel old."

"You won't be old for a very long time, Aunt Diana," he grinned charmingly.

"Maybe not," she winked, acknowledging the technical truth of his statement. "I wish you could have seen Bruce's face while you two exchanged your vows. It was absolutely priceless."

"It's probably better that I didn't, to be honest," he confessed. "It would have been really embarrassing if I cried when Babs didn't." _And I would have, if I'd seen his face, guaranteed._

"Oh, she wanted to, believe me. I could see it. She's just too stubborn. If you two aren't careful your children will be more bull-headed than their grandfather," she teased.

"Please, no," he groaned mockingly. "Bruce and Damian are unyielding enough for the whole family."

"You should have met him before you came along."

"…Now there's a quandary."

"So was he." They laughed, and she patted his arm. "Go enjoy your day, honey. I only wanted to steal you away for a second."

"I've always got time for you, Aunt Diana. I'm just working on snagging Jason for the high table so we can feed all these hungry people."

Her broad smile softened. "…I was so glad to see that he came. I know it meant a lot to you, and to Bruce."

"It did. Now if I can just convince _him_ of that."

"If anyone can, it's you."

He cocked his head. "Funny. Babs apparently said the same thing while she was making a bet with Damian about whether or not he'd be here today."

"She won the heart of one bird and the money of another? I always knew she was a smart girl," Diana laughed delightedly before turning away with a wave.

A few minutes later, Dick finally reached Jason. "Whew," he smiled. "It's like running a gauntlet out there." His expression sobered slightly as he took in the tenseness still present in his brother's shoulders. "…Everything okay?"

"Um…yeah. I think so, actually. I mean, no one's said anything to me, so…" Watching the groom work the crowd, he'd been struck again by the fact that _everyone_ seemed to like him. _How does he do that?_ he'd wondered. _I could never do that. So why can he, when I can't? It's not like our training was that much different. If anything I should be better at it, since Bruce pushed me so hard to be like Dick._ That thought had stopped him. _…Am I still bitter about that? I thought I got over that even before…huh._ _But that wasn't Dick's fault. He can't help being so goddamn perfect, apparently. And if you had to choose between a polite, talented kid and a foul-mouthed gutter snipe…I guess it's obvious, isn't it?_

"…Jason?"

"Listen…" he started, not looking at him. "I'm…I'm not mad anymore, okay?"

"What?"

"At you," he clarified. "I'm still pissed as hell at Bruce, and a part of me always will be, but…you didn't do anything wrong. I…I realize that now. I think maybe I've been doing things to hurt you because I know that hurting you hurts him. You just…you just got caught in the middle. But I know none of it was your fault. So…for what that's worth."

_Oh, god, Jay._ "…It's worth a _lot,_" he whispered shakily, nose stuffing itself as he held back tears. "A _lot_, Jason. You have no idea. And I'm sorry."

"For what?" he narrowed his eyes at him. _Christ, Dick, don't cry. Not over that. Not…not over me. _

"For the fact that _you_ got caught in the middle of something that wasn't your fault. The thing that started it all. That wasn't fair, and I wish it hadn't happened like it did. I want you to know that."

"…You and Bruce."

"Yeah. I'm sorry. You deserved to be seen for who you were right from the start. I'm sorry you weren't given that respect."

"_You_ saw me for who I was," he said quietly. "Then on top of it, you never gave up on me, even when...well. I guess that's why, even after all this time, you're the one I can't seem to stay mad at."

"…Thank you for that. And thank you for being here. And…look, I know it's not going to be easy, and that it might take time - years, maybe - but someday you'll understand why Bruce couldn't do what you wanted him to have done for you. In the same way that Bruce couldn't change you in your essentials, no matter how hard he tried to make you fit my mold, there are certain things about him that can't be altered. One of them is the very thing that you expected of him. And I know how that must have hurt you, but…he couldn't have acted any differently than he did. I think you already know that, you just haven't come to accept it." He paused. "…Please don't be upset that I brought that up. It just seemed timely."

"…I'm a little upset, but…not 'stomp off and never speak to you again' angry," he confessed, a hint of confusion in his voice. _I should be mad. I should be furious. But I'm not. I suppose I've always found it easiest to forgive you because you seem to find it so easy to forgive others. Maybe __that's__ why everyone likes you, Dick; you set such a sickeningly good example that it makes the people around you feel guilty if they don't emulate it a little._ "I don't really know why," he fudged the truth.

"You must be hungry. That's got to be it," the elder teased, relieved. "C'mon. Alfred's waiting for us to get to the table so they can start doing food. And," he added, standing on his tiptoes to look over the crowd, "the ladies are on their way from the house, so we're fixing to be the ones holding up the party."

"Wait," Jason grabbed his arm suddenly, mention of the bridal party reawakening the ache he'd felt in his stomach when Babs had walked down the aisle. "Dick, I…" He swallowed heavily, his throat tightening with shame.

"Jay? What is it?" he came back to his side, face concerned.

"I owe you an apology," he said, voice low and uneven.

"…What? No, Jason, there's nothing to-"

"Would you just let me do this?" he hissed. "I _do_ owe you an apology. Well, no; I owe you a lot of apologies, but…this one matters, even if you _have_ already forgiven me for it." He inhaled slowly. "I'm sorry for what I said when you asked me to be here today. For what I said…about Barbara. For all of it, really, but…especially for that. I was wrong, Dick. I said it to hurt you, not because I believed it. I just…wanted you to know that." _She's not weak. Neither are you. _

"Jason…I already knew."

"Of course you did," he scoffed, shaking his head. _You read people like books…_

"Hey." He waited until their eyes met, his brother's swimming in unshed liquid. "Already knowing doesn't make me appreciate the effort it took for you to apologize any less. All right?"

"Yeah," he cleared his throat. "Sure." _Fuck. That…that felt good. Terrible, but…good._ "So…Drake said Alfred made the cake," he tried to change the subject. "What flavor did you pick? I told him I'd stay for it, but if you went with something gross, I'm gone."

_…You had a non-violent conversation with Bruce __and__ Tim in the same afternoon? _Dick boggled proudly. "You still like chocolate, right?" he asked instead. "Chocolate? I guess I'll stick around, in that case," he shrugged, utterly failing to make his tone as non-committal as his gesture.

"Some things never change, it seems."

Jason let their gazes connect, and gave his brother a small but sincere smile. "No. The most important things never do."

**Author's Note: Where I live, you can have anyone you want officiate your wedding, provided that they're willing to do a little paperwork beforehand. Officiating at Dick and Babs' wedding just seemed like the kind of thing Clark would be happy to do...especially since it would make Bruce insanely jealous, haha.**

**Also, it's five chapters, not four. I couldn't resist the suggestion of a little DaddyBats time with Dick, so thanks to AJCrane for the prod in that direction. Happy reading!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's Note: I posted two chapters today, so if you haven't read about the wedding, you'll want to go back a chapter. **

Many hours later, long after the party had moved from the darkening lawn to the ballroom, Dick stole away to the deserted patio. A slight mist was rising, and everything smelled like approaching rain. _One rare, beautiful day, and then always a storm_. _You never change either, Gotham, _he shook his head nostalgically.

Jason had left a short while earlier, having stayed well past the cutting of the cake. He had mostly lingered around the edges of the gathering, sipping slowly at a drink and observing the crowd. He had approached no one the entire night, although as the evening went on Dick had been glad to see a few people go up to him. Diana had been the first, followed shortly by Clark, then a couple other JLA'ers from back in the day. Babs had even rolled up for a short conversation, the details of which he was desperately hoping to hear once they were in private.

Swirling his wine slowly to let it absorb the cool, damp air rising into the hills from the river, he smiled. He'd been fortunate enough to catch sight of Damian drawing closer to Jason shortly after the migration indoors, and had swiftly crossed the room, sensing that things could go bad very quickly between his two pugnacious siblings and wanting to be close by if their discussion became heated. Before either of them had realized he was approaching, he managed to overhear enough to calm his concern, and it was the memory of those few sentences that caused him to sniffle slightly as he watched fireflies dart back and forth above the lawn.

"_Maybe you aren't a complete idiot after all, Todd," Damian opined, peering up at Jason. "…Maybe."_

"_What made you change your mind?" the older male inquired, almost looking amused as he sipped at his screwdriver._

"_Grayson. And the loss of a hundred dollars to our new sister-in-law. But… mostly Grayson."_

"…_Oh?" His face changed, an expression of pure curiosity passing over his features._

"_Yes. He believes some strange things, but…I respect how steady he holds to those beliefs, no matter what others say, until time proves him right."_

"_You have an example of that?"_

"_Two, actually. He believed in you…and he believed in me." He paused pensively. "…He was right on both counts, even though everyone else thought he was a fool. Anyway," he shook himself, "if I've learned anything about him, it's that he doesn't have time for idiocy. If he's tolerated you for this long, then he must believe that you aren't a true idiot. So…maybe he's right." He shrugged. "And that's all I have to say to you right now." With that, he turned away and disappeared into the crowd, leaving Jason gaping._

Dick swam back to the present as someone else slipped outside. A second after the patio door clicked shut, Bruce's familiar bulk leaned beside him. "Hey," his voice, a little deeper than usual for when he wasn't in costume, greeted.

"…Hey," he answered after a second, still watching the insects in the grass.

"How's it feel?"

"How does what feel?"

"Being married."

He considered the question. "…The same as it did before I was married."

"What about the oath you took today?" he asked, sounding a little surprised.

"Bruce, I made all those promises a long time ago. Today was just saying out loud what I'd already sworn to myself that I was going to do for the rest of the time she and I are both breathing."

"...Then it sounds to me like you married the right woman," the billionaire said huskily.

"I did." He glanced over. "…You okay?" he asked lightly, well aware that the man at his side was crying silently. _Thank god it's dark out here,_ he thought fervently.

"…I'm so proud of you, son. I…I don't say that enough."

Biting his lip, he leaned over until he head was against Bruce's shoulder. A heavy arm draped itself across his back. "It's okay," he whispered. "I'm not going anywhere, you know. You're not losing me after today. Like I said, it's not even really different. You know I'd never get Babs to leave Gotham even if I tried, so…I guess you're stuck sharing your city with me."

"I suppose I can live with that," he joked thickly.

"Although," Dick grinned into the night, "I _was_ wondering…when you retire, are you going to split Gotham into quarters, or do you lean more towards primogeniture?"

Bruce laughed and wiped at his eyes. "…I wish I had your talent for always knowing what to say."

"You didn't do half bad upstairs this afternoon. Guess I'm rubbing off on you."

"Yeah, I'm sure that _just_ started happening."

When their chuckles had quieted, Dick sighed. "He stayed _much_ longer than I thought he would. I think that's a good thing, don't you?"

"…Yes." _I still wish we could have talked, but…I don't know that it would have done any good, and it probably would have just ruined things if I'd tried. I couldn't take that risk, not today. Not when you wanted him here so badly. I would never have forgiven myself if I'd chased him away after all your efforts._

"He'll come around, Bruce. I know he will."

"Before today, chum, I would have agreed without really believing you. Now, though…you may just be right. I certainly hope you are." They were silent for several long moments. "…I wish your parents could have seen how happy you were today, Dick." _If they could see the man you've become…_

"Yeah," he nodded, his face pinching briefly. "…But one out of three is still a pretty damn good representation in my book."

The billionaire had to stifle a whimper at that. "…I love you," he choked out.

Dick straightened and turned to him, mouth ajar. "…What did you just say?" he breathed.

He smiled. "You heard me." _Don't ask me to repeat it, because I don't know if I can. At least not right now, and certainly not to anyone but you._

"You…but you don't…you never…Bruce," he moaned, his face crumbling. "You say that _now_? As if I wasn't already on the edge of an emotional abyss today, you drop _that_ on me?"

"Well, it only took fifteen years of practice, but…it seemed like an appropriate wedding present." He pulled his son close, letting trembling lips and wet cheeks hide against his throat just as they had on the first night they'd met. _It wasn't too much different than this, actually,_ he recalled as he held him. _A cool night, tears, and an approaching storm…yeah. This seems about right._

"I love you, too," he replied finally, pulling away and drawing his sleeve across his face. "…Oh, shit, Alfred's going to kill me."

"He'll understand."

"Yeah…" A sudden frown came over his face as he stared in the direction of the city.

"…What?" Bruce asked tensely.

"Just waiting for the inevitable explosion. There's bound to be a crisis starting any second now – it's been too good of a day for it to end any other way."

"…Since when are _you_ the cynical one?"

"I guess exchanges of personality traits follow the law of reciprocity," Dick smirked.

"I get to occasionally not say the wrong thing, and you get cynicism. Somehow that doesn't seem like a fair trade."

"Survival tactics," the younger man answered as the patio door opened again.

"...Can I interrupt what is no doubt an incredibly manly moment?" Barbara practically begged as she rolled up to them. "Oh," her eyes widened as she saw the drying tear tracks on her husband's face. "Sorry, guys, I didn't-"

"It's okay," Bruce cut her off. "We were done being…ah…"

"Manly," Dick supplied.

"Yeah."

"In that case, would you both _please_ come back inside and help me distract the semi-drunken horde? There's talk of a conga line."

Both men shuddered, identical expressions of disgust making Babs smirk.

"…Aren't conga lines illegal in this county?" Bruce inquired.

"They should be. Write to Senator Brannen in the morning, he only owes you about eight hundred favors. This has to be stopped. Citizen's arrests may be in order," Dick said. "…Think any of them are drunk enough to believe that my BPD badge is still valid?"

"You still have that?" the billionaire raised an eyebrow. _That's my boy._

"Hey, you never know when you'll need to flash a shield."

"If that doesn't work, I've got handcuffs in my bag upstairs," Barbara contributed. "Good ones," she added when her husband gave her an intrigued look.

"…No. We should save those," he grinned wickedly.

"I'm beginning to regret letting you have the room next to mine all those years ago," Bruce groaned.

"You say that like you think we can't be quiet," the bride crossed her arms in a faux huff.

"Yeah, how do you think we got away with things so often when we were on patrol?" Dick threw in. When his only reply was a dark look, he flashed his teeth in a broad, simpering smile. "Love yoooouu," he teased.

"Get inside, you two," he herded them in front of him. "We have a crime against humanity to stop." The sigh he let out as they abandoned the cool night for the hot ballroom was designed to sound much-put-upon, but in his heart he'd rarely had a happier moment. He caught Jim Gordon's eye across the room, and they shared a proud moment as Barbara allowed herself to be pulled to her feet and held upright for a slow song.

_Every great once in a while,_ the billionaire dared to think, a soft but blatantly happy smile spreading across his face as he watched the newlyweds dance, _even in Gotham, things go right._

**Author's Note: Thanks so much to you all for coming on this little adventure with me. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did. As always, happy reading!**


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